A/N: Can you believe it's been a year and a half? I wanted to thank everyone who has left comments on this story, both recently and when it was first posted, asking for more. I really don't think I would have come back to finish this without you. As it is, I am considering this 5th chapter as the final one for now, but am happy I get to write some sort of conclusion to this little plot-less piece. I don't write much fiction any more, and I have loved getting back into Lara's story and head. So enjoy these little scenes to try and put a bow on the work I abandon over a year ago. I hope the tone still fits. Thank you again for your comments and reviews.

Food. She needed to eat. In her mind, Lara knew this. She tried to think back to the last time she had eaten, and could not remember for sure. So why was she sitting on this bench, simply staring at her soup? And in any case, how long had she been sitting here?

Lara sat, unmoving, slumped on a bench in the galley. In front of her lay a lovely bowl of warm beef soup. It smelled amazing, and they had saved it for her. Beside her, Sam had almost finished her bowl. Across the table Jonah was talking to them, and to the few crew member who were free to sit and listen. Lara could not hear what the were saying. Or rather she could not comprehend it. The mumble of words floated high above her area of focus, which was somehow both completely captured by the uneaten soup before her, and also a thousand miles away. She still had not lifted a hand to the spoon since the bowl was set before her. She had barely managed a nod of thanks, and had been sitting like a carved statue ever since.

She had lost the will, or perhaps the ability, to move. Ever since the left the island really, but Sam had lead and dragged her this far. She had been moving, constantly moving, for what felt like a lifetime. No time to stop. Had to keep moving. Stop and you die. Or worse. Stop and Sam dies. Keep the momentum. Just. Keep. Moving. She had thrown herself up cliffs and down waterfalls, had sprinted and raced and climbed and swam and leapt and slid and crawled and dragged and limped, but had never stopped moving. She had punched and fought and grappled and shot but never once stopped. Never stop. Never sleep. It was amazing what her body could do on adrenaline alone.

And now she sat. Still. Stopped. Lara did not have enough adrenaline left to be afraid. She did not have it in her to fear the strangers in the crew, or worry how long until they got wherever it was they were going. She didn't have the strength to fear another storm. She just. Had. To rest now.

Lara's eyes snapped back open, though she had not realized that they were closed, when Sam nudged her shoulder. The American looked pointedly, worriedly, at her, and then her soup. Lara knew that the girl would spoon feed her if she had to. Her trance broken, Lara attempted to save what pride she had left. She lifted a weary hand, like a lead weight, up onto the table, and did her best to leverage her heavy, shaking fingers onto the spoon. She could feel Sam watching her as she leaned over and shoveled a spoonful into her mouth.

Dear God this was good. Lara closed her eyes as her mouth and body finally realized that food was exactly what they needed. Good, strong broth with meat and vegetables. Tender and hearty and flavorful. It still took a long time, with slow motions, but Lara devoured the food set before her, and when she was done felt ready to hibernate.

She felt Sam's hand on her shoulder again as she pushed he empty soup bowl away to make room, and then slumped forward to lay her head on the table, not even bothering to cushion her head on her arm. She could see Jonah now, telling a story with wide gestures, and a few crewmen eating it up.

"I've never seen so many shipwrecks!" He was saying "Old and new all piled together. We found that old WWII boat next to a big wooden ship, you know, with masts and sails and…" Lara tuned the rest out and closed her eyes. It was a surprisingly comfortable table. But perhaps any flat-ish surface that would bear her weight would be comfortable. Sam scooted closer on the bench, and as Lara dozed she could feel her hand trace gentle patterns on her back, careful to avoid the bandaged wounds.

She thought she had lost this. On the island. She never admitted it to herself but she felt as if she would never be here again. Safe. With friends. Headed home. Lara took the biggest breath her bruised ribs would allow, in and out, and let herself fall asleep.

There was a fire. She was running. Jumping. Falling. Climbing. She had to get out. Shots rang above her, around her, through her. Get out. Up. Up. Higher. Away from the flames. Her feet slipped, the wood crumbled, she fell again. Had to keep climbing. Keep running. "Lara!" There was Roth. She had to get to Roth. Scorched hands met as she leapt to him, hanging by his grip alone. But the fire was still coming. Climbing into the sky. Lightning struck, and they were falling, tumbling out of the sky, she dragged Roth down into the fire, into blood and death, into hell. "Lara!" she heard again. It was all burning. She was burning. The hot smoke baked her face and charred her lungs. She couldn't get out. Couldn't save him. Couldn't save herself. She had to keep moving. Get out. She had to get out. "Lara!" Sam was calling now. Where was she? Where was Sam? "Lara!" She was dying. Screaming. Her soul ripped from her body, in front of Lara's eyes. Lara ran. Ran towards her. But she was only getting farther away. "Lara!"

"Lara!" Lara awoke with a jolt, shooting up and gasping for breath. The light was gone. The flames, gone. But the fire still burned behind her darkened eyes. Sweat soaked sheets clung to her and she struggled to free herself in the pitch dark. Someone grabbed her arm, and Lara almost struck out.

"Lara! You're okay." It was Sam. Lara stopped and tried to breath, tried to nod and let herself be pushed back down into the bed. "Shhh. It was a dream." Sam said, still clinging to Lara's arm. "Just a fever dream." She wiped her hand over Lara's sweat covered brow. Lara tried to nod again, tried to say something, but all her strength was gone. Sapped away by the fire roasting through the marrow in her bones. She felt Sam shift against her and realised that they were both laying the the same bunk, in a bed. When had she gotten to a bed?

Sam had propped herself up and was leaning over her now, adjusting their blankets, which must have been uncomfortable, soaked through with fever sweat, and grabbing something Lara could not see. It was obvious that she had set up for this scenario. Before her eyes could fully adjust to the dark, Lara felt Sam's hand under her head, propping it up with a simple command. "Drink." she held a water bottle to Lara's lips, and Lara did her best to drown the fire within her, or at least replace the copious amount of water she seemed to have lost.

"Thank you, Sam." Lara managed to rasp out as she pushed away the bottle for a breath of air. "I'm sor-"

"Shh." Sam said, and Lara finally heard the immense tiredness in her voice. "Go back to sleep." Sam leaned over her and placed a quick kiss on her sweaty brow, and the settled back down beside her, her head near Lara's shoulder, and stirred no more. Lara only stared up into the blackness a short time before joining her in the land of slumber once more. And this time, Lara did not dream.

Throughout the night and well into the morning, Lara's consciousness came and went. She was vaguely aware of time passing, of things around her changing. Different people passed in and out of the room. Reyes, Jonah, and the ship's Captain among them. Sam was a near constant, sitting now in a chair pulled beside the bed, with her hand on Lara's forehead almost every time Lara opened her eyes. Her fever had broken in the night, but Sam had seen the extent of her wounds. With the damage done to her body, her fever could always come back.

Lara was mostly aware of the heavy, drowsy heat which seemed to press her down onto the bed. They were still in the Captain's cabin - another generous act on his part, although Lara was still unsure how she'd gotten there - which had a window, but Lara had lost most sense of time. The day was a sweaty, drowsy blur, marked only by the times she had to force herself up and out of bed to use the toilet. The first time standing, Lara almost threw up. Beef soup, it turned out, wasn't the perfect first meal for her weakened constitution. But she managed to hold on. The second time she got up - it may have been evening by now but who could say - she felt a bit stronger. And exhausting as it was, she found the walk helpful. But the water Sam immediately offered her upon her return even moreso.

"Why don't you go outside, Sam? Get some fresh air. Don't have to say cooped here with me." It was the most words Lara had spoken at once since they left Yamatai. Her voice, a horse rasp, and her eyes, red and held open by will alone, did nothing to assure her companion.

"What and miss all the fun?" Sam laughed. Lara raised an eyebrow and gave a look which her roommate immediately recognized as the unspoken question 'are you serious?'. "Look, Lara, I've had enough to boats and the sea ok. I don't need to be out on deck. It's not like there's anything to see but water."

Lara nodded. Then she had a thought. "My belt." She raised her hand and reached out towards the door to the small bathroom where she had last dropped the tools on her belt, as if by lifting her arm she could reach it, or summon it to her hand. "Sam. Get my belt? I've got.." but Sam was already on it.

"Uh, here we go." Sam dragged Lara's muddy, discarded trousers from where they were left the night before under the sink. The belt still looped around them was heavy, and Lara's second belt, with her pistol and axe, Sam slung over her shoulder, in case they were what Lara really wanted. "Man Lara, what did you pick up? Rocks?"

Lara did her best to laugh at the joke, but was making urgent grabby hands at her supplies. Sam dropped the trousers into her lap, and more carefully draped the other belt on the corner of the bed. Almost without thinking, Lara moved the mountaineering axe underneath her pillow, handle out. Sam did not question her as to why. Then the adventurer began rifling through the pouches and supplies still attached to her trousers, making quite the mess. She had rope, shotgun shells, 9mm ammo, and an extra machine gun magazine. A flint stick, some documents, several small artifacts, and ah, here it was. Lara watched sam's face as she pulled out her old handheld camcorder from inside what was meant to be a waterproof ammo pouch.

"Oh my gosh!" Sam gasped, "Lara!"

Lara smiled as she handed it over. "Battery might be dead."

"How did you- Where did… Lara I can't believe it!" Sam was hugging her, as tight as she dared, holding the camera aloft. When she had finished, she looked the device over. It was significantly worse for wear, but intact. She opened the viewing screen and laughed "Two percent. It's still on." in amazement. Lara nodded, but was now falling back asleep.

"Oh my gosh, you got footage? You?! And is this… Woah, Lara this…" Sam trailed off as she pressed play. Lara could barely hear her own voice coming from the machine. Sam stopped it. Her cheer gone. She could tell at once the tone of the footage Lara had used the camcorder for. It was a journal. Words she wanted saved in case she never got to say them herself.

"Go on." Lara told her. "Or maybe… not now. After we're… home." After we're farther away, Lara meant. After there was not even the slightest chance that they could even in her nightmares crash again on Yamatai's shores. After she could bear the see that place again.

"I'll save the battery." Sam said solemnly, so that she didn't have to say the rest. She leaned down and hugged Lara again, this time more gently, but for a long, long time. "Thank you." She said, for far more than just the camera. Lara nodded, and fell back asleep.

"Lara."

"Nnnnggggggg"

"Lara. Wake up."

"Saaaam."

"Look I promise you can go back to sleep soon. But you gotta wake up."

"Uhhgn. Whaat?" Lara drawled, finally cracking her eyes open. They still felt swollen and hot. The room was dark, the sun gone down, and Samantha was again sitting beside her, a hand on her forehead.

"Jonah said I should check your bandages and re-do them before you go back to sleep." She whispered, as if it would help.

"I was already asleep." Lara moaned, then took a deep breath and sighed. "Jonah's right."

"Sorry." Sam started, but Lara shook her head.

"Let's keep the bed clean, at least." Shifting her stiff muscles, she managed to free her arm from her blankets, and took hold of Sam's hand. Using this anchor as leverage, Lara worked to prop herself up and manually shift the lead weights she called her legs over the edge. Still rather asleep, but determined to sleep walk to the shower, Lara shoved herself up and attempted to balance her suddenly top heavy weight, or at least press it forward and not back. Sam caught her, and led the slowly waking sleepwalker back to the shower again.

This time, Sam dragged the metal chair she'd been sitting in with them, and plopped Lara down in it. Lara binked and tried to adjust her eyes to the light while Sam got the first aid kit.

"Arms." She said in short as she returned and Lara automatically lifted her arms so Sam could remove her shirt. She could hear Sam exhale sharply at the sight of just how many bandaged wrapped her again. "Good thing they had another first aid kit."

"Hmm." Lara hummed in agreement as Sam began removing a stiff bandage around her arm. Being soaked in sweat and then dried did the fabric no favors. "You're gonna get pretty good at this."

"You mean I'm not already good?" Sam teased, and was gratified to see Lara smile. "Put your hand here, Lara, you're gonna fall off." She placed Lara's hand on her shoulder to give her an anchor. "I brought the chair so you wouldn't end up on the ground."

Lara hummed again, this time expressing a laugh. "I thought…" she tried to speak and had to clear her throat. "I thought you were the one I had to get home the bar when she couldn't stand up."

"Laraaa" Same whined but did not stop her ministrations. "That was one time."

Lara raised an eyebrow.

"Ok so it was more than one time. But you only had to actually carry me once."

Lara stared at her.

"Ok! More than once! But I only fell off a chair once."

Lara conceded this point with a nod.

"And I seem to remember you getting a busted lip that night too. I thought your job was to stop bar fights."

"Mmm." Lara nodded. "And I did."

"Touché."

They sat in silence for a while, Lara focused on staying upright, while Sam carefully unbandaged, cleaned, and rebandaged everywhere she had bandaged before.

"You're gonna have to get this one looked at you know." She at last commended on the terrible wound in Lara's side. "Like at a hospital."

Lara nodded, but resentfully. She hated hospitals. She let the silence extend.

"Do you think… I mean… People were looking for us." Sam processed her thought out loud. "Do you think we were, like, on the news? I wonder how… Oh and my parents." The thought hit her like a shot. "Oh God, my parents. Lara they'll probably come meet us at the boat as soon as they find out where... Oof, and they'll want me to come home."

"Hmm." Lara processed thought much more quietly. "Maybe you should."

Sam stopped. "What?"

"Maybe you should go home."

"Lara."

"It's safer there." Lara's eyes were far away. Not looking at Sam. Sam positioned herself in front of them, forcing Lara to either look away or look at her. She made eye contact. This time, Sam let the silence linger on.

"You know it's not your fault, right?"

"Sam."

"Lara, listen to me!" Sam stood up, taking the hand Lara was still draping over her shoulder, and holding it in both of her hands. "I'm safer with you."

Lara took a deep breath, and tried to convince herself that that was true. "Sam…" She started, looking away.

"Lara. You can't… you can't send me away. After all that, I…"

"I'm not send you away! You can do whatever you want!" Lara insisted.

"Good. Then I'm staying. And if I'm going home with my parents, then you're coming with me."

Lara took a moment to consider this, and then nodded. It wasn't like she had her own parents to return to. Would anyone back home even worry that she was gone? The staff at the Nine Bells maybe. But Roth was gone.

With this assurance, Sam went back to work. But she couldn't hold her silence for long.

"You know it's not your fault though, right?" Lara did not respond. "You know that I still… I trust you Lara. I know that a lot happened and… God, I'm gonna need so much therapy after that but. I don't want this to change… us."

Lara stared straight ahead and nodded again. But they both knew that Yamatai had already changed them. Changed everything.

"Don't let them win, Lara." Sam was still working, but was watching her, concerned. It had become a common occurrence over the years they lived together, Sam staring at Lara and trying to guess what was going on inside her friend's head. At this comment, Lara's eyes finally met hers, and Sam knew she was onto something right. "You told me that once, you know? After… God, I can't even remember his name now, I think I blocked it out. After that guy dumped me, and it was that big to-do. When you helped me realise how bad he'd been for me anyway, but I just couldn't let go? You told me that I can't let him win. Can't let him hang on to my mind and heart after he'd left. Can't keep believing the lies he told me, or that I told myself. Can't let it take over the rest of my life and steal the joy that wasn't his to take. Lara, you can't let Matthias win."

The name Matthias sat like a physical presence in the room. Lara did not respond.

"I know that we can't just... Forget that this happened. And I'm not asking you to. But just, for me…" Sam didn't know what she wanted to ask. "Let's just try and get back to normal for a bit, alright? Back home, with your books. We'll get some tea, and I'll take some goofy pictures. And it'll all be fine. How about that?"

Mm. Tea. Lara nodded.

"We'll stay up too late watching bad horror movies and you can yell at the heroes for being dumb, and I can yell at the director for the terrible lighting. And we can fall asleep watching late night nature documentaries on the couch." Sam was working hard to get Lara to smile now. She was just about done with the bandages, and was not about to let Lara go back to sleep upset. She briefly stopped to get Lara to shift in her seat and allow Sam to tend to the bandages on her legs. "And then you'll wake up at some god forsaken early hour and go on a run, and I'll stay home and make breakfast, and it'll all be alright." Sam did not stop her storytelling as she lifted Lara back to her feet and guided her back to the bed. "Maybe we'll plan another trip. A safer one. Maybe back to Kenya? Or we could do an American tour. A road trip! We could go route 66! Or go up to Canada. There's load of mountains you haven't climbed there…"

"Ok, Sam." Lara stopped her at last as she gently laid back down. "I'll try."

"Thank you." Sam said, satisfied. She paused for a moment. "Sorry for yelling at you when you're sick."

Lara smiled. "I deserved it. Now, are you going to stand there all night?"

"Oh, I, uh…" Sam shifted her weight a bit. "Sorry about last night, I didn't know if you'd mind, but I didn't think I should leave you and…"

"Come on." Lara shifted over to make room. It was a very small bed, definitely meant for one occupant. But Sam had squeezed in beside her last night when she was thrashing in nightmares, so Lara figured she could manage it again.

"Thanks." Sam said as she crawled into the bed, putting her side right to its outer edge. "I, uh… I meant that earlier. I feel safer with you."

"Mm. You too." Lara hummed as she settled down, putting her arm out to make room for Sam to come closer and not fall off the edge. If she woke up and Sam wasn't there, she didn't know what she'd do. She briefly checked that her axe was still under her pillow while Sam finagled herself under the blankets. In the end, Sam came to rest her head on Lara's shoulder. Lara's hand still rested on the handle of the axe.

"Lara?" Sam whispered, a truly quiet word as she assumed her friend was in fact asleep.

"Hmm?" came the response, however.

"Thanks… for saving me. I never said that." Lara hugged her.

"Thank you, Sam." She did not say for what. She did not have to.

"The Captain said we should reach Tokyo tomorrow."

Sam felt Lara give a little laugh. "We'll deal with your parents when we get to them, Sam."

"Together."

"Yes. Together. Now. I'm going to sleep."

Sam leaned up and kissed Lara's cheek. Lara smiled, and held her closer.

They had not, she knew, faced the extent of the aftermath. There would be more challenges ahead, ones she couldn't even think of right now. The world, Lara knew more than most, was not a kind place. And there was no way that everything could go back to the way it was, not after that. But she would take this short reprieve as she could, glad that Sam was there to take it with her, and would be there for all the rest.